God’s Great Faithfulness
It was a stormy night in Birmingham, England, and Hudson Taylor was to speak at a meeting at the Severn Street schoolroom. His hostess assured him that nobody would attend on such a stormy night, but Taylor insisted on going. "I must go even if there is no one but the doorkeeper." Less than a dozen people showed up, but the meeting was marked with unusual spiritual power. Half of those present either became missionaries or gave their children as missionaries; and the rest were faithful supporters of the China Inland Mission for years to come. W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 242.
Will you be Faithful…
Faithfulness seen in Believer’s witness
[29] For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. [30] For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: [31] Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. Romans 11:29-31
The verses are speaking historically, and history shall be repeated.
·if mercy resulted from unbelief, how much more shall mercy result from mercy?
·if mercy to the Gentiles came through the unbelief of the Jews, how much more shall mercy to the Jews come through the mercy of the Gentiles?
If we truly know the mercy of God through Jesus Christ our Lord; we should greatly desire the world to experience the same mercy and forgiveness of sins.
In particular, we should feel indebted to Israel, the people through whom God gave us HIS Word, HIS Son, HIS salvation and HIS promises.
Shouldn’t we who have received such great gifts feel an evangelistic fervor to reach the nation of Israel in order that we may have a part in God’s bearing the fruit that initially bore us.
“God’s Nation” will be reached by the mercy of God; they will believe and obey Jesus Christ as Lord. They will be restored into the favor of God.
Every believer who knows the mercy of God should share the mercy of God with those apart from HIM.
Are you sharing Christ as we are called too?
God hates exclusiveness, prejudice, partiality. The world desperately needs the gospel, and God demands that HIS mercy be shared with the world.
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21).
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:19-20).
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
Faithfulness seen in God’s Holiness and Mercy
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. Romans 11:32
The word “concluded” sugkleio, soong-kli’-o; means to shut together, in a common subjection.
God has taken men, both Jews and Gentiles, and shut them up to unbelief or disobedience.
It pictures God using sin and events for good. God takes sin that man chooses and works it out for the good of the world.
Why?
So our true nature of sinfulness can be clearly seen, which should cause us to seek God.
God desires all to come to HIM and will have mercy upon all, but before we can come to God, we must confess two things:
Þ that we are sinful and dying creatures in desperate need of God.
Þ that God exists and that HE will have mercy upon the person who diligently seeks HIM.
You see we are indeed all are shut up in this world of sin.
Why?
So that God’s great mercy can be extended to those who will accept it.
God will have mercy upon any who genuinely seek HIM.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“But if from thence [the world] thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut. 4:29).
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Ps103:17).
“For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (Proverbs 8:7).
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lament. 3:22).
“And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil” (Joel 2:13).
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God’s faithfulness. In his journal he wrote: Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning...He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all...Depend on it, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply. Our Daily Bread, May 16, 1992.
Are you experiencing God’s faithfulness in your life today?
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as “Lord and Savior” of your life?
Put away your sinfulness and come to the extended mercy that God offers those who call upon the name of Jesus.
Will you commit to be faithful to the places and positions that God has called you today and until Jesus returns?
